The Righteous Path
by crazstiz
Summary: What if the Dixon Brothers were twins? and Irish? one broken brother trying to carry the other. The Dixon Brothers but heavy influences of Boondock Saints. I suck at summeries, please read! Caryl and Meth ending!
1. Chapter 1

Murphy ripped the bolt out of the walkers head, looking back to where Conner was headed back inside the tiny run down house after throwing the shovel violently threw a window. Glancing to the small, freshly covered over grave, Murphy ignored the tears streaming down his face as he followed Conner inside.

Murphy stood to the side as Conner stomped around, pulling open drawers and cabinets until he found what he was looking for. Murphy watched as Conner pulled out the large Ziploc bag filled to the brim with drugs and paraphernalia.

Murphy crossed the room silently, sitting next to Conner as he divided up the powder.

"whats the plan?" Murphy asked quietly, his Irish drawl thick after crying.

Conner was silent as he picked up a straw.

"honestly brother, I just don't give a fuck." Conner said gruffly as he leaned down and took his hit.

Murphy nodded. "we should head north, get away from the city. Less of those….things there."

Conner snorted as he offered to Murphy, who was silent as he leaned down and snorted a line.

"what's the point?" Conner growled.

Murphy chewed at his nail before responding. "Conner-"

"it's Merle."

Murphy's eyes shot up to his brothers. "we leaving it all behind?"

Conner nodded. "if not for you, I'd have offed meself already brother. Don't make me live my past any longer. With out….without her, it's just not worth it."

Murphy nodded as he looked at Conner "okay Merle."

Conner looked up at Murphy "lead the way Daryl."

TWDBDS

"Merle!" Daryl ran across the room; Rick, Glenn and Tdog close behind.

Merle was slumped against a wall, barely conscious as Daryl came to his side, swearing as he saw the bloodied stump of his brother's arm, still hot from where he had cauterized the stump.

"Jesus Merle, what the fuck?! Ya knew I was comin'!"

Merle chuckled darkly as Tdog handed Daryl some fabric to wrap the stump in.

"I saw her….i thought I saw her."

Daryl went still for a moment before looking up to Merle's eyes.

"I'm sorry but she's gone brother."

TWDBDS

Daryl stood above Merle as Doctor Jenner removed his plastic gloves, glancing back down at his newly-unconscious patient then to the rest of the group around them.

"I'll keep checking his IV, that sedative I gave him will help. He needs to rest as much as possible."

Andrea snorted. "yeah, the addict needs to sleep more."

Daryl growled as he turned to Andrea, but before he could speak the doctor spoke up.

"from what I've seen Ms. Holden, you are not the only person here who has lost someone. Drugs are a common fallback, as well as being a bitch."

Daryl smirked as he continued. "I'd tame your remarks, you don't want to be mistaken for a bitch."

Andrea was stunned as Tdog chuckled behind her.

TWDBDS

Daryl walked quietly to the campsite, Merle having pulled their tent and belongs several hundred yards away from the group. As he approached, Merle looked up from where he was, with some difficulty, sharpening his knife.

"Did they find the old man?"

Daryl nodded as he sat beside his brother. "yeah, at a bar in town."

Merle chuckled. "like I said aye?"

Daryl shrugged. "he's been clean for somethin' like 25 years."

Merle went still before returning to his knife. "25 years, 13 years. What's the difference?"

Daryl shrugged. "Beth tried ta off herself."

Merle stopped for a moment before looking over at Daryl "the blonde girl?"

Daryl nodded. "aye."

Merle sighed. "I'll talk with her."

TWDBDS

Beth leaned over, picking up the eggs from the lower nesting boxes. As she pulled her hand back, the bandage caught on a sliver, pulling the material down, revealing the healing gashes underneath. Beth paused, lightly fingering the edges of the material before a shadow crossed over her.

Beth looked up to see Merle standing in the doorway of the chicken house, leaning on the door frame. Beth didn't know the man well, and she felt the group didn't either. They whispered about his drug use, the fact he cut off his own hand, apparently after seeing things. But Beth wasn't convinced.

She had watched both Merle and Daryl from afar, and it was clear there was something else going on. Merle was practically a walker himself, perfering to spend his days alone as he recovered and learned how to live while missing a hand. Daryl was a flurry of activity, hunting, working on the farm. But it was clear how he was concerned for his brother, consistently checking in, pulling Merle towards the group. Beth wondered what had happened, what had broken the older Dixon brother.

"Heard ya tried ta off ya self. That's pretty damn selfish."

Beth blinked. "excuse me?"

Merle snorted as he walked into the chicken house. "ya think you is the only one hurtin' right now? fuck its gotta be somethin' like 90% of the worlds population is the walkin' dead. Any of us left alive, we all hurtin' sugar."

Beth gulped, not sure how to respond.

Merle raised an eyebrow at Beth "so I guess ya don't give a fuck about ya dad do ya?"

Beth sputtered. "Wh-how can you say that?! I love my father!"

Merle snorted. "don't look like it to me. Doin' that shit to him, down right terrible thing ta do to ya family."

Beth glared at Merle "you don't know how I feel!"

Merle met Beth's glare. "really? Ya think I don't feel like puttin' a bullet in my head every other second? And that's only because half the time I want to bleed myself that way I feel every damn moment of pain. I want to die, just as much if not more then you sugar."

Beth searched for something to say back. "then why don't you?"

Merle smirked. "because I actually give a shit about my family. Ya see, Daryl and I, all we got now is each other. And unlike you I love my sibling. I kill myself, I'd be hurtin' him. You want to go ahead and kill ya self, I'll even loan you the fuckin' gun. But before ya do, consider what ya would be doin' to Maggie and Hershel, cause ya won't be around to say ya sorry."

With that, Merle stalked out of the chicken house, brushing past Maggie as she came in. Maggie looked out as Merle walked away, before hurrying to Beth's side.

"what was that about? What did he say? If he hurt you I swear to god-"

"Maggie!"

Maggie stopped as Beth held up a hand to shush her sister.

"he didn't hurt me. In fact, I think he saved my life."

TWDBDS

Beth screamed as walkers grabbed at her and Patricia as they ran, before shots rang out close. Patrica grabbed Beth close as walkers fell around them, before Beth felt an iron grip encircle her arm.

Beth screamed before she realized who had grabbed her arm: Merle

"Come on! We gotta go!"

Merle pushed Beth and Patricia into his truck, before running to the other side and throwing the truck into drive and barreling down across a field. Beth turned to ask why he wasn't heading off the farm before she saw what Merle was headed towards.

Carol stood in a field, surrounded by downed walkers, Daryl beside her expertly emptying clips as he cleared a circle around the two of them. as Merle pulled up beside them, Daryl picked Carol up onto his shoulder and jumped in the bed of the truck before Merle sped off, leaving the forsaken farm behind.

TWDBDS

Carol shivered as she wrapped her jacket tighter around her body as she sat beside Beth in the three months since the farm, she and Beth had grown close. mostly due to their shared attraction to the brothers.

Carol looked over to where Merle was assisting Daryl in breaking down the large deer Daryl had brought down. The brothers were an interesting pair, quiet and obviously haunted. Carol wished Daryl would let her in, let her closer. But every time she got so much as a smile or a flirtatious comment from Daryl, the next second that door slammed shut, and once again she was left on the outside.

Carol couldn't help but feel sorry for Beth the young girl knew she liked Merle, but she was hampered by both her inexperience, and by Merle himself. Beth had told Carol of the conversation between her and the one handed man after she had attempted suicide. They both thought that something had happened, that the brothers had lost someone close to them. but when asked, Merle would stomp off, and Daryl would growl "mind ya own damn business!"

"headlights!"

Carol was pulled from her mental reverie as Carl's warning came out. Rick and Glenn had gone on a run, leaving the rest of the group behind at an abandoned camp ground while they hunted for food, winter clothes and sleeping bags.

Carol stood along with the rest of the group, before Carl called out again.

"there's another car with them!"

Rick pulled the SUV up, a black truck parking behind them. Glenn hopped out, running over to the group.

"we found a man and his granddaughter in town. Well, actually he saved our asses. We got trapped by a small herd, if it wasn't for him, we'd be dead. This guy is crazy good, like military or special ops. And his granddaughter is Carl's age, but she shoots just like him. These two saved our lives."

Merle snorted as he walked across the camp to rinse his knife off.

"Rick bringin' back more strays? That worked so well last-"

"Daddy!?"

Merle went still before turning around as the group turned to see a young girl with long fire red curly hair climb out of the truck. Merle was silent before he dropped his knife and ran towards the girl.

"Shiloh!"


	2. Chapter 2

Rick stared as Merle and the young girl ran towards each other, meeting halfway as they slammed together, Merle swinging the girl up in his arms before collapsing to his knees with her. Rick was surprised to see tears streaming down Merle's face, as well as Daryl's when rick glanced over. Daryl appeared to be in shock, staring as he watched his brother hug the girl.

Rick looked back at the pair, both crying as they looked at each other.

The young girl sobbed as she spoke. "Daddy I thought you were dead!"

Merle shook as he looked at the girl. "Aye Macree, I thought I lost you!"

Rick glanced around at the group, surprised as the rest of them were at the sudden thick Irish accent. Rick walked over to Daryl who was openly crying as he looked over at his brother and the young girl with fire red curly hair.

"Daryl….what, who?"

Daryl chuckled as he looked over to rick as the group congregated behind their leader.

"Shiloh, Merle's daughter. We thought we lost her, buried her. I have no idea how she survived but…that's my niece there."

Rick glanced back at the truck that had followed them back, wondering why the older man hadn't gotten out yet.

"She said she was with her grandfather?"

Daryl looked confused for a moment before his face turned furious. Daryl stalked past his brother and niece towards the truck as the door opened and the huge man got out. He had short hair but a barely tamed beard, and Rick had already seen how many weapons he had hidden on him. He was tall, and spoke in a thick Irish drawl when he spoke, but often was silent.

Merle looked up from where he had had his face buried in Shiloh's hair, before swiftly standing. Pushing Shiloh behind him, Merle pulled his side arm and pointed it at the man who was walking towards Daryl. Daryl pulled his crossbow, pressing the point of the bolt at the mans head before a scream went out.

"Uncle Daryl no!"

Shiloh ran from her father's side, to stand between her uncle and grandfather. The older man stood calmly looking at Daryl as he leveled the bolt to his forehead as Shiloh shoved her way in between them.

"Uncle Daryl you can't kill him! He saved me! He's not who he was, I swear it!" Shiloh's thick Irish accent obvious as she pleaded.

Daryl shook his head as he growled. "He's a snake! A savage fucker that will kill anyone for the right price!"

Shiloh shoved Daryl back as Merle joined him, before returning to stand in front of her grandfather as the rest of the group anxiously watched the family drama play out as rick walked forward.

"Daryl, Merle, what the hell is going on?"

Merle chuckled darkly. "Meet Buck McManus, hitman for the Italian Mafia, sentenced to a life term in prison. Also our father."

Rick glanced back at buck who shrugged. "Aye that's me. Ain't no denyin' the truth."

Daryl growled as he gestured with his bow. "What the fuck ya doing out of prison?!"

Buck glanced between his sons as he replied. "When ya two ran from the homeland, they got me out on parole. I was supposed to take all three of ya out."

Merle grabbed Shiloh, pulling her behind him as he pressed the muzzle of his pistol to Buck's temple.

"Ya were gonna kill ya own family?!"

Buck strongly shook his head. "Didn't say that did i? I took what information they had on ya two, tracked ya down. Took out the fuckers they had watchin' Shiloh, then I blew those assholes to kingdom come. On my way out saw the biters, knew Shiloh was with that slag. Went and got her, went to your place."

Rick held up his hands. "hold up, who's they? What's going on?"

Buck chuckled as he looked over at rick. "what names do ya know my boys by?"

Rick glanced over at Daryl and Merle who were silent. "Daryl and Merle Dixon."

Buck snorted. "ah my sons, ya dishonor ya blood with those names."

Daryl growled as he lowered his bow. "Thank ya fucker, now we gotta explain our whole fuckin ' life story!"

Merle pulled his gun away, before suddenly slamming buck against a nearby tree, pressing his arm blade into Buck's throat. Shiloh tried to shove her way in between the two men before Daryl pulled her back. Buck held his hands up, refusing to fight as Merle glared at him.

"Let me make one thing fuckin' clear ya son of a bitch. I think for one fuckin' second, that ya are a threat to Shiloh, to Daryl, to this group; I will shot your kneecaps out and throw ya to the walkers myself. Got that?!"

Buck met Merle's eyes, refusing to look away.

"I ain't the man I was, I swear that on the saints. I won't hurt anyone who doesn't hurt my family."

Merle scoffed as he slammed buck against the tree as he stepped back. "Well ain't that nice. The killer of killers, the Irish himself; he finally gives a shit about his family. Too bad ya thirty fuckin' years late!"

Merle stalked away from Buck, pulling Shiloh to his side as he and Daryl turned back to the group.

Daryl spoke first. "Listen, this is gonna be a long story, let's get the meat on and circle up."

TWDBDS

Daryl smiled lightly to Carol as she handed him a bottle of water. The woman was sweet and kind, and in another life perhaps, Daryl could see himself having a life with her. Too bad he was damaged goods.

Daryl turned to look at Merle, who had Shiloh wrapped up in his arms. The young girl had snuggled against her father's chest as they quietly talked. Daryl caught Merle's eye, and Merle nodded.

Daryl turned to the group, who had gathered around the campfire. Buck was across the fire from Merle and Shiloh, seated a little back from the group. Buck looked exactly as he had Daryl's whole life: muscular and threatening, with a cool air of guiltlessness to him.

Rick cleared his throat, seating forward. "Daryl, what were you going to tell us?"

Daryl sighed before he leaned back. "Technically my name ain't Daryl Its Murphy Daryl McManus, brother to Conner Merle McManus, father of Shiloh Caoimhe. That asshole over there is our father Cairan Liam McManus, known as Buck."

Rick frowned. "Why do you go by your middle names?"

Daryl smirked. "let me give ya some more of the story. Merle and I were born in Donegal, Ireland; fraternal twins. By the time we were born, Buck was known across Europe as a hitman for hire. He'd kill anyone given the proper payment. Most of our childhood he was gone, only comin' home long enough to beat our mother and whip us, then he'd be off for weeks at a time. When we were 6, our mother died, and so daddy here decided it was time to bring his sons into the business. From that point on, Merle and I were dragged around the world behind him: Brazil, Italy, South Africa, Cuba, Germany. For years we would settle in one place for long enough for him to kill who he could before the heat got too much, then we would run again."

Rick glanced over at Buck. "is this true?"

Buck nodded. "Like I said earlier, ain't no denyin' the truth."

Daryl glared at his father before continuing. "through out it all, being torn from home to home, never settling long enough to make friends or go to school decently, Buck beat the shit out of Merle and I. day in and day out. He also felt we were ta follow in his footsteps. By the time we were 16, he had forced both of us to kill. Finally, we landed in Boston, and then things really went to hell. Ya see, by then buck was known as one of the best killers you could hire, and the Italian mafia took notice. When we settled in Boston, they hired Buck on. It soon became a nightly thing, Merle and I waiting in the car as he killed, then either helping him depose of the bodies, or driving as getaway after he beat someone to the edge of death. One night, we were waiting outside, when someone approached the car. Turned out to be buck's undoing."

Merle continued. "it was an FBI agent, and he offered to get us out of the situation, as long as we testified against our father. We jumped at the chance, and Buck was arrested on his way out of the building, 3 fresh bodies were found inside. We testified against Buck, and he was supposedly sentenced to 2 life terms with no possibility of parole. From there, Daryl and I were split up into foster care. We had never been apart our entire lives, and splittin' us up was rough. By the time we both got out of foster care at 18, I was a drug addict, and Daryl had lived thru 3 suicide attempts. Once we paired up, we left Boston for Atlanta. We lived in Atlanta for 3 years before I met Shiloh's mother, Jessica. She was a drug addict as well, but when we found out Shiloh was on the way, we both went to rehab, got clean. Everything was alright until 2 months after Shiloh was born, Jessica relapsed in a big way. Our relationship fell apart, and Daryl and I took Shiloh and headed back to our homeland when we were 23."

Rick raised an eyebrow. "she let you take her daughter to Ireland?"

Shiloh snorted in Merle's arms. "My mother, if ya can call her that, was a piece of garbage. She wanted nothing but her drugs, certainly didn't want a child."

Merle frowned. "easy Milish, that's your mother ya talkin' about. I won't have you dishonor her memory."

Shiloh shook her head. "later I'll tell you what happened those 2 weeks I was with her, go on with the story."

Merle narrowed his eyes at his daughter before looking back at the group and continuing

"we moved to just outside of Dublin, we had a good life. We changed our names to limit our connection with buck, been Merle and Daryl Dixon since then. Shiloh did well in Ireland, and we were glad to be home, back in a country we understood and fit in. Daryl and I worked as butchers, before things became….difficult."

Daryl glared at buck before speaking. "It seems Buck was very useful to the Italian mafia, and they were quite upset at losing him. Upset enough that one day when Shiloh was 4, they knocked on the door. I recognized one of them, and sent Shiloh off to Merle, telling her I would handle it. Long story short, they gave me an ultimatum: either Merle or I worked for them, as a hitman just as our father had, or they would kill Shiloh."

Buck growled as he leaned forward. "Those fucker's came after my granddaughter?!"

Daryl chuckled darkly. "congratulations Buck, ya succeeded in your goal. I replaced you as the main killer for the Italian mafia, and for the last 9 years, I have been forced to kill. Just like you trained me too."

Merle spoke up. "about 8 months ago Jessica contacted me. She decided she wanted her daughter back. With our known mob connection, I couldn't risk going to court for custody. So Daryl and I took care of a few issues, then took Shiloh and ran back to Atlanta. I made a deal with Jessica, she could have Shiloh for three weeks each year, as long as she didn't sue for actual custody. She agreed, and so Shiloh went to stay with her. 2 weeks in, the dead rose. Daryl and I grabbed our weapons and supplies and booked it to Jessica's. but when we got there, all we found was Jessica's dead body, and the remains of a young girl, with long red curly hair."

Shiloh sat up on Merle's lap. "Anna, it was Anna!"

Merle raised an eye brow. "Who?"

Shiloh bit her lip before speaking. "A bratty tit that lived a few houses down from mom's house. I guess a boy she liked ignored her because I was the new girl, and so she dyed her hair to match mine. That night, mom came home with a bad bite on her arm, and she got really sick, then she stopped breathing. I didn't know what to do, there were walkers everywhere, but I figured you and uncle Daryl were on your way so I stayed put. But then mom…she became a biter. She started to come after me, so I ran out the front door and ran straight into Buck. He put mom down, scooped me up and ran back to his truck. As we drove away, I saw Anna run across the yard before the biters pulled her down. It was her body you found. After that, we went to the house, waited for you and uncle Daryl for 2 weeks. But then the biters got too thick and we had to leave. We've been moving from place to place since then….dad what happened to your hand?"

The air was silent as Merle glanced down at his right arm, before he chuckled lightly. "Daddy fucked up baby. Daddy fucked up really bad."

Shiloh raised an eyebrow. "How bad?"

Merle sighed. "When ya uncle and I got to your moms, I thought Anna was you baby. All that was left was the bones and hair, the body was the right size. I buried her thinkin' she was you. After wards I went inside…and grabbed ya mom's stash."

There was silence for a moment, before Shiloh slapped Merle across the face.

"After 13 years! 13 years of being clean! Daddy how could you?!"

Merle smirked at the group which was stunned at the girl's outburst.

"Macree, I thought I had just buried you. I was lost baby."

Shiloh growled as she looked to Daryl "And you! How could you let him do that?"

Daryl bite his lip before replying. "I may have partaken as well."

Shiloh jumped off of Merle's lap and stalked over in front of Daryl, slapping him exactly as she had her father.

"you gowl!"

Daryl chuckled. "aye darling, that is true."

Shiloh narrowed her eyes at Daryl before looking back at Merle "And the hand?"

Merle sighed. "I was high when I went on a run into Atlanta with the group. I became a threat, they had to handcuff me to the roof. A herd came, the key was dropped down a drain on accident. I knew Daryl was comin', but i thought I saw you baby. I thought you were there. I cut thru my hand trying to get to ya, but when I was done, you were nothing but a mirage."

Shiloh sighed before looking at Daryl "and the drugs?"

Daryl nodded as he spoke. "destroyed them all after that. We stuck to this group because what the fuck else were we ta do?"

Shiloh growled lightly. "so no more?"

Merle and Daryl nodded, Shiloh eying them both before walking back to sit with Merle "Idiots."

Merle chuckled. "True baby, very true."

Buck cleared his throat as he sat up. "What's your plan from here?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes at his father. "Same as you. Move from place to place until we find somewhere safe enough."

Buck nodded before speaking. "What if I told you I can take you to someplace you could make safe? Lots of land, double fences, multiple security levels, look out posts."

Rick frowned as he sat up. "if you knew of a safe place, why aren't you there already?"

Buck answered Rick with out turning away from his sons. "The location is full of walkers at the moment. Too many for me to clear out safely, but with my boys, we can easily do it."

Merle growled as he sat up. "We? What we? As far as I am concerned, you are only alive because you rescued Shiloh. That is the one and only reason you are breathing right now."

Buck met Merle's eyes as he spoke. "I've done you two wrong, ain't no denying that. You want me gone? Fine, I'll go, but not before I make sure there my family is safe. I'll disappear after that, but not before."

Merle eyed his father before he looked over to Daryl. The twins shared a look before Daryl glanced at Buck.

"What is this place?"

Buck smirked. "West Georgia Correctional."

Rick looked at Daryl "A prison?"

Daryl's face clouded over. "Why there? Why that prison?"

Buck shrugged. "You know why."

Merle frowned as he shifted Shiloh in his lap. "how the fuck did you end up in a Georgia prison when you were locked up for crimes in Boston?"

Buck smirked at his sons. "the warden and his buddies were concerned about having me in a Boston area prison considering my connections to the mafia. They traded me for 5 prisoners from Georgia WGC, I lived there for 16 years, until I got out on parole. I doubt any inmates survived, but on the chance they did, none of them would try anything with me around. Plus I know the layout, and I've scouted it out already. We can enter thru the west side fields, get into that cell block, it'll be on lock down first."

Daryl scoffed. "and how the fuck do you know that? Can ya see thru concrete now too?"

buck chuckled. "naw, it was my place, Cell Block C. life sentences across the board. Any time there was a riot, we got locked up first. From what I saw when I scouted out the prison, the inmates turned first, then the guards. Several walkers had riot gear on. If we go in thru the fence near the third guard tower, we avoid damaging the locks at the gate, at least until we find keys. Then we move in thru the field, clear the cell block. From there use it as a base as we clear out the prison."

Daryl looked over to Rick. "What do you think?"

Rick sighed as he looked over to Buck before looking back at the brothers. "can we trust him?"

Shiloh sat up on her dad's lap, looking between Daryl and Merle

"Bhí mé soicind ó fáil bháis, agus a shábháil sé dom. chosaint sé dom ar feadh 6 mhí, agus aon uair bhí mé duine éigin, strainséir, cosúil le rick agus Glenn a chosaint, ba mhaith sé ag dul amach agus iad a shábháil, go dtí mé." (_i was seconds from dying, and he saved me. he protected me for 6 months, and any time i wanted to protect someone, a stranger, like Rick and Glenn, he'd go out and save them, for me.)_

_Merle bit his lip before he spoke. "Buck maraíodhdh beagnach dúinn. faire againn air a mharú go leor daoine." (Buck nearly killed us. we watched him kill lots of people.)_

Shiloh shook her head. "Tá Buck níos mó ansin dúnmharfóir. Tá sé freisin do dhaid, mo sheanathair. mian sé a dhéanamh ceart." _(Buck is more then a murderer. he's also your dad, my grandfather. he wants to do right.) _

Merle sighed and looked over at Daryl who spoke up to Rick. "Merle or I will be with him at all times. We need his skills to get into the prison. He's given up more info then I would have in his situation."

Rick frowned. "His skills?"

Daryl chuckled dryly. "Buck is very good at killin' people, very quick about it. Anything you have seen Merle or I do, it's because Buck taught us how. Now I ain't saying he's a good person. Far from it, he's a psyco asshole. But he can get us in that prison, and we need his skills for safely clearing a building likely full of walkers."

Rick looked around to the group. Hershel, Carol, Maggie and Glenn nodded and Rick turned back to Buck.

"Okay, for now you can stay. Once we're in the prison, we'll discuss what happens next. For now, stay with Daryl or Merle at all times."

Buck chuckled. "you know why they volunteered for that? Because both my sons want to kill me. Trust me, if I take half a step out of line, I'm a dead man. Ya don't need to worry about me."

Rick looked over at Merle "Would you be able to kill your dad if need be?"

Merle smirked. "I'm strangely comfortable with it."

Macree-my heart

Milish-sweet

Gowl-stupid person


	3. Chapter 3

Two days later, Buck lead the way down the train tracks, Daryl beside him clearing walkers. Merle stalked silently behind him. Buck felt a smirk raising up inside of him, maybe his boys would finally do it today. Truth was Merle and Daryl, along with some back up from their group, they could easily clear the prison, without Buck's help.

"How much farther?"

Buck looked over to Daryl before pointing at a clearing that was developing a ways in front of them, the prison quickly coming into view.

"This view is from the west side. See that tower? We cut into the fence below, clear that segment, then you two clear the walkers while I'll run in and shut that fence. Once I have that shut, I'll move into the other tower, and you finish off the walkers."

Daryl nodded, before he eyed Buck. "what if there's walkers in the towers?"

Buck shook his head as he pointed to the first tower. "that one I shot at to see, no walkers inside. Or at least they didn't respond to a 50 cal destroying a computer."

Merle glanced at Daryl. "and the tower you'll be hiding in?"

Buck raised an eyebrow. "I can handle a few walkers."

Merle glared at his father. "gettin' in to this place is the easy part, its clearing the prison that will be hard. Don't you fuckin' die while closing the gate, we need you to clear the prison."

Buck scoffed. "Fuck that, you don't need me. In fact let me make it easier on you two. The infirmary is down the southern hallway, past blocks B and A. go in thru the guard's observation deck, safer entry. The cafeteria is thru the north hallway. The showers are just out side the cell block, you should be able to get the plumbing running fairly easy."

Merle and Daryl looked at each other for a moment before Daryl spoke up. " why are ya telling us this? Why not wait until later?"

Buck smirked as he looked between his sons. "Because I know you're going to kill me fairly soon. Hell maybe even before we get back to camp. I understand why, and I expect one of you two to end me, but like hell will I go before I give you as much information as possible."

Merle frowned. "if you really expect us ta kill you, why come out here with us?"

Buck leveled his look at Merle. "I said I was going to get you some place safe. I won't go before I do that."

Daryl growled as he suddenly socked Buck in the face, throwing the older man to the ground. "Fuck you! Now you're concerned with our safety?! More like you're walking us into a trap!"

Buck hissed as he rubbed his jaw. "Jesus I taught ye well."

Merle grabbed Daryl before he could punch Buck again. "Enough! We ain't killing him, not now! Not when Shiloh is keeping such a tight eye."

Daryl growled as he pointed at Buck. "Be thankful you saved her, because if not for Shiloh, you'd be drowning in your own blood!"

Daryl stalked away, Merle following close beside him, both glaring. Buck chuckled to himself as he stood up. His boys certainly knew how to pack a punch.

TWDBDS

"you assholes!"

Buck raised an eyebrow at his granddaughter as she stalked up to her father who raised his hands.

"Blame ya uncle!"

Shiloh scowled at Merle. "And what did you do to stop it?"

Merle looked at his daughter for a moment before smirking lightly and walking past her. "I enjoyed it." 

Shiloh gaped at her father and uncle as they ruffled her hair as they walked by, before she turned around to Buck.

"They're being such assholes!"

Buck chuckled as he shook his head. "doesn't bother me."

Shiloh frowned at her grandfather, her uncle keeping a sharp eye out from 10 meters away.

"you're okay with them hurting you?"

Buck nodded as he knelt in front of Shiloh. "i deserve it baby. I destroyed my sons childhood, as well as their adult lives. I deserve what ever your father and uncle give me. Don't fight them on that."

Shiloh glared at Buck, causing him to chuckle. "beag cailín dÚsachtach! The only person I know that can give me a look like that!" (_little crazy girl)_

"Shiloh!"

TWDBDS

Hershel watched as Daryl called Shiloh over to sit with him. Shiloh went over as requested, but as she sat down she immediately began ragging on Daryl for his actions. Hershel walked over to Buck who chuckled as he organized weapons in the front seat of his truck. Laid out in front of Buck was a old worn vest, fit to hold 6 guns, which Buck was studiously examining and loading.

"that will come in useful tomorrow."

Buck chuckled as he nodded. "oh yes, it will definitely be useful."

Hershel eyed the man beside him. "How does everything look at the prison?"

Buck glanced at Hershel, before returning to work on the vest and guns. "it'll be an easy entry, just make sure the group stays on their toes while my boys and I clear the first gate. Wouldn't due for someone to be bit because ya'll were watching us."

Hershel nodded. "I'll make sure. How's things going with your sons?"

Buck eyed Hershel. "What concern of yours is that?"

Hershel raised an eyebrow. "plenty. Those brothers are a solid core in this group. With out them, we would not have survived. We look out for each other, we're a family. And fairly soon, I expect Merle to be even closer to my family."

Buck smirked. "i did see the looks between Merle and ya youngest. What's going on there?"

Hershel was silent for a moment before he spoke. "make you a deal. i''ll give you honest, complete answers about your sons, to the best of my knowledge. In exchange, I get some answers from you."

Buck eyed Hershel for a moment before nodding. "Alright. You answer first, what is happening with my son and your girl?"

Hershel chuckled as he leaned against the truck. "Beth has been chasing Merle for almost 4 months. Until Shiloh arrived, Merle was like a walker. Going thru his daily life for Daryl, but it was clear Merle was broken. Beth got no closer then a slight friend to Merle. But after you and Shiloh showed up, Beth made sure to introduce herself to Shiloh directly. And they've spent the last few days getting along quite well. Shiloh may have found herself a new mama."

Buck spun the chamber of a revolver. "About damn time. Go on, what's ya question?"

Hershel leveled his look at Buck. "how is your relationships with your sons?"

Buck chuckled dryly. "they're going to kill me as soon as the prison is cleared. Merle wants to stab me in the face, Daryl just wants to shoot me. so I'd say its as good as it's going to get. My turn, what's going on between Daryl and that little lady?"

Hershel sputtered before he spoke. "how-how can you you be alright with that?"

Buck raised an eyebrow. "Na, your turn. Answer the question."

Hershel eyed Buck before speaking. "give it a little bit more time and Daryl is going to be a happily married man, probably looking to have children of his own. Carol has been chipping away at Daryl for quite some time, and I'd say with the return of Shiloh and Merle's mental health, it won't take long for Daryl to figure things out with Carol. How are you okay with your sons killing you?"

Buck leaned against the truck beside Hershel. "let me clear something up. I am not a good man, not in a long shot. I'd kill anyone for my family. I would shoot you in the leg as a walker bait if that was the best way to protect my family. Used to be I'd kill anyone for any reason. I'm messed up, I know that. And for a long time, I hated my sons, because no matter what I did; I tortured them, beat them, forced them to kill, But thru out everything, they stood by each other. It took me a long time to realize it, but my sons, they're not like me. My boys, they can be happy, they don't carry the blood lust I do. But ya see, I turned them into monsters, I made them killers, especially Daryl but Merle was a part of the killings too. I took two innocent little boys, still crying over their dead mother, and I turned them into killers. I'm a poison Hershel, and I need to be stopped. My boys did it once, and it worked for a long time, locking me away. But now I'm back, and this time, they are going to handle the threat personally."

Hershel frowned. "surely your sons cant see you as that much of a threat can they?"

Buck smirked. "ah ah ah, that's twice against the rules. Game over Hershel."

Hershel scoffed as he stood next to Buck. "you can't be okay with Merle and Daryl can't be planning to kill you!"

Buck stood stark still in front of Hershel. "i hope they are, because trust me, they have every reason to kill me."

TWDBDS

Buck motioned, his sons nodding back, before Buck, Merle and Daryl silently moved towards the fence. Buck stood guard as his sons quickly cut thru the fence. Once the two of them had slipped in and began taking out the walkers in the area between the two fences, Buck slipped thru, using short bungee cords to hold the fence together temporarily. Giving a low whistle, Buck couldn't but smirk as his sons flanked him, walking perfectly instep around the bodies.

Buck nodded to Merle and Daryl as they entered the tower. A few moments later Daryl kicked out one body, and Merle returned beside his brother, both grabbing a hold of a walker and moving them into a pile. Buck joined them, and once the bodies were stacked, Merle returned to the tower, ready to clear the walkers that were loose in the field.

Daryl eyed Buck as he brushed past, walking to ready to open the gate.

"ya ready for this?"

Buck chuckled lightly. "Remember Columbia?"

Daryl frowned as he nodded. "The plantation?"

Buck nodded. "Shit went down in there. Ended up 19 to 1, and who walked away? I can handle walkers, at least they aren't shooting at me."

Daryl snorted as he turned towards the fence. "that's one way to make this shity world worse, give the walkers guns."

Buck chuckled. "aye, wouldn't that suck?"

Buck nodded to Daryl who slipped open the fence. As soon as Buck was inside Merle and Daryl quickly opened fire on the walkers flooding the field. As Buck ran to the fence he chuckled as walker after walker fell beside him, Merle and Daryl cutting a path for Buck thru the chaos.

Buck kicked a walker in the chest before slamming the gate shut and turning to run to the tower. As he threw open the door walkers poured out and Buck was forced back, trapped between the walkers from the tower and the walkers from the field. As Buck fired into the walkers, he heard the bodies behind him drop. All too quickly it was over, and Buck turned and looked to where his sons were coming out of the tower, and signaling the group to come to the fence.

TWDBDS

"oh come on, you're Daryl Dixon. The one tool required for an apocalypse!"

Daryl blushed as he shrugged. "gotta say, I never thought I'd use these skills for something good."

Carol smiled at Daryl as she prepared to make dinner. "you have to admit that's a talent these days."

Daryl glanced up at Carol thru his bangs. "most of my life having a talent to kill people has been a bad thing."

Carol was silent for a moment before she reached over and brushed Daryl's hair out of his eyes. "i believe that there is a side of good in everything."

Daryl frowned for a moment. "Ed?"

Carol smiled softly. "he gave me Sophia."

Daryl bit his lip before speaking. "and losin' her?"

Carol looked up at Daryl, meeting his blue gaze with her own.

"she brought us closer together."

TWDBDS

Buck sat beside Hershel, just out of the warmth of the fire. Merle and Daryl were talking quietly to each other, before Daryl stood and went to where Carol was digging out cans for dinner. Buck followed Merle's gaze and smirked to where Daryl was blushing as Carol made a joke at his expense. Buck chuckled and shook his head at the pair, they really were something.

Hershel cleared his throat as he sat up. "see, what did I tell you?"

Buck chuckled. "ain't see no Merle-Beth yet."

Hershel smirked before speaking. "3...2...1..."

Buck laughed as while Hershel was counting down, Beth sat next to Shiloh, greeting Merle with a blushing smile as she sat and talked to Shiloh. Merle smirked back at Beth, before he sat back, calmly watching as Beth conversed with his daughter. Buck shook his head as he looked over at Hershel.

"Nothing like an apocalypse to speed up courting."

Hershel laughed. "Well Merle got a jump start on re-population, but considering everything, between Merle and Beth, and Maggie and Glenn, I'll give it a year until I become a grandfather. Any advice for me?"

Buck looked to Shiloh, who was giggling with Beth as Merle quietly watched over them and the camp. His eyes then ran to where Carol brushed Daryl's bangs away from his face, his son blushing at the touch. Buck turned back to Hershel, and the man was stunned at the haunted look in the man's eyes.

"my advice is hold them close, because when you realize you've lost them there is no pain that can compare."

TWDBDS

the next morning Daryl nodded to Merle as he walked out of the cell block. Merle had volunteered to stay behind with the group, keeping an eye on the situation as Rick, Tdog, Glenn, Buck and Daryl entered the cell block. Daryl knew Merle was still deeply effected by the presumed loss of his daughter, and subsequently was hovering. Shiloh was taking it well, spending as much time as possible with her father. Daryl chuckled to himself as he followed Buck into the tomb like structure of the prison. At least Shiloh was enjoying father/child time, Daryl wasn't going to enjoy his nearly as much.

Buck had scouted out the prison, all the way to the infirmary. There was plenty of walkers between the group and medical supplies and cafeteria, which they were starting on as it was closer and had less walkers. Time to go to work.

TWDBDS

"Cafeteria is the second right." Buck said quietly to the group, as they worked their way thru the prison. An hour into the venture and Daryl was almost wishing it was just him and Merle, perhaps Buck. He kept having to check his pace, as to not leave the group behind in the dust.

Daryl heard a groan from down the hallway, a doorway with one hand scrapping at the busted glass. Daryl walked toward the walker, stabbing around the glass to the walkers head behind it.

Daryl grimaced as he flicked his hand trying to get off the walker goo that had landed on him.

Buck smirked as he came up beside his son. "next door."

Daryl turned to scoff, before suddenly the door across from them shook, the door creaking under the weight of many walkers. Buck and Daryl both pulled their weapons, but before Daryl could step back, the door gave.

Daryl hit the ground hard, and struggled even as he felt one walker grab around his foot as he battled to push the walker on his chest off. Suddenly a knife appeared, stabbing down into the walkers skull, and the weight on Daryl's foot disappeared as a flurry of gunfire went off. Daryl scrambled backwards, but as he moved Daryl hear a roar like nothing else he had ever heard.

Daryl was on his feet in a second, and immediately realized what that roar had been. It was Buck, reacting to the massive bite on his ankle that was now gushing blood.

Buck looked over to Daryl who ran up beside his father as he turned and spoke. "Ar deireadh" (_Finally.)_


End file.
